Business expo in Lebanon Saturday open to community


LEBANON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

212 N. Broadway St., Lebanon

513-932-1100

For this week’s chamber of commerce feature, the Journal-News talked to Sara Arseneau, executive director of Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce in Warren County.

She was preparing for the second annual LEBfest Community Business Expo organized by the chamber. The expo is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Lebanon High School gymnasium, at 1916 Drake Road. During the event will be musical performances by Lebanon High School students, Arseneau said.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Beginning at 7 a.m., Lebanon Rotary Club will serve pancakes with proceeds benefiting local charities, she said.

Visitors can browse 88 booths participating in the event representing Miami Valley Gaming racino operators, pharmacies, doctors, dentists, mechanics, hair salons, and the local library, among other businesses and groups, she said. About 1,800 people attended the inaugural expo in 2013, she said.

We asked Arseneau to give us three reasons to go:

1. Make connections. "Probably the top reason to go is the opportunity to connect with 88 businesses they may have not met in Lebanon yet or they may have services they didn't know."

“Nobody is there to sell them anything. The businesses are there for people to come and ask questions.”

“It’s a very non-pressure way you can meet 88 different businesses from the Lebanon community.”

2. Prizes. "Prizes — everybody loves door prizes." Every booth has a door prize worth a minimum $25, she said.

“Admission is free and right as you come in the door, register for the chamber’s door prize. We give away five mini iPads throughout the day. We do require that you be there when we draw your name to win.”

The chamber will do one drawing every hour for its tablet giveaway, Arseneau said.

3. Great food. "We've got great food. We've got the pancakes from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Lebanon Rotary."

Money raised by Lebanon Rotary is invested back in the community, she said.

“It’s a family day at the Lebanon high school.”

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